Trials and Tribulations
by rain10423
Summary: In which friendships are formed, mistakes are made, and true love is found despite many trials and tribulations.  After all, since when has love ever been easy? DG.  An HP modern day take on Pride and Prejudice.
1. Chapter 1: A Single Man of Good Fortune

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TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS

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Trials and Tribulations is a Harry Potter fan fic which is loosely based on the Jane Austen novel, _Pride and Prejudice_, one of my favorite stories of all time. In this story, the characters will share similar behavior traits with the characters in _Pride & Prejudice_.

Disclaimer: I do not pretend to own the genius of J.K. Rowling, or that of Jane Austen, of whose works I have alluded to in this fanfic. The first line of this chapter was copied directly from the first line of Chapter I of _Pride and Prejudice _by Jane Austen.

Chapter 1: A Single Man of Good Fortune

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

It was in this frame of mind that old Mrs. Lathers showed Draco Malfoy one of the flats that she was renting out. Prone to a curious and motherly nature, she was, of course, concerned that a nice boy like him should be single.

_The poor dear, _she thought, _twenty-one and still unmarried! I shall have to introduce him to that lovely Ginny girl who lives next door._

"I'll take it." Draco said abruptly, disrupting her reverie. "It's a bit smaller than I would like, but it will have to do. In the middle of nowhere too! How disastrous! I doubt I'll meet many suitable people here."

"Country manners, I think they're charming." Blaise Zabini interrupted, having come along to help his best friend pick a flat.

"Very good, Draco dear, just sign the papers and it's all yours." Mrs. Lathers said kindly.

"Thank you, Mrs. Lathers." Draco said politely, feeling guilty about having insulted the flat.

After having Draco sign the rental agreement, Mrs. Lathers prepared to Apparate home. "Oh, one more thing, dear, I shall be back later to introduce you to your neighbors. Do take care of yourself." Then with a smile and a nod, she disappeared.

"Nice old lady," Blaise remarked congenially, with a charming smile on his face.

"Quite." Draco murmured distractedly. "I have no clue what I'm going to do with this place."

"And to think, Draco, you were complaining that it wasn't big enough!" Blaise laughed. "Imagine what you would do if you had to furnish a place larger than this!"

Draco smirked. "I suppose you're right."

"Of course I am, when am I ever wrong?" Blaise smirked as well, almost an exact copy of the smirk on Draco's face, a testament that they had spent way too much time together over the years.

"Want to get something to eat?"

"Let's go."

The duo headed towards the door, already starting to discuss what Draco should do with his new place.

_What on earth have I gotten myself into? _Draco wondered, as he followed his friend out of the flat.


	2. Chapter 2: Number Four is Let at Last

TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS

Chapter 2: Number Four is Let at Last

"Dear Ginny!" Mrs. Lathers cried as Ginny opened the front door to her apartment. "Have you heard the news?!"

"Heard what, Mrs. Lathers?" Ginny asked warily. She liked the old woman for her kind manners, but sometimes Mrs. Lather's meddling gossipy ways wore on Ginny's nerves. She ushered the woman into her small kitchen and had her sit in one of the chairs at the table as she started to prepare tea.

"Number four is let at last!" Mrs. Lather's proclaimed upon sitting.

"What?"

"Oh, Ginny dear, how can you be so tiresome?! _Number four_, the flat next to yours. I have finally found someone to rent it!" She thanked Ginny for the cup of steaming tea that she had just handed her.

"That's great."

"Yes, yes it is! Do you wish to hear about your new neighbor? Of course you do." She prattled on before Ginny could open her mouth to reply.

"He is a most charming young man. Around your age too, I believe. He had the most stunning eyes! The rest of him wasn't bad to look at either." Mrs. Lathers winked at Ginny conspiratorially.

"He seems to be quite rich. And the best part is…" Here Mrs. Lathers paused for dramatic effect.

"He's _single_!" The elderly lady cackled gleefully and smiled sweetly at Ginny with a strange gleam in her eye.

"I promised him that I would introduce him to his neighbors."

Ginny sighed inwardly. _Great, _she thought, _as if having my mother play matchmaker wasn't bad enough_. Ginny's mother, Molly Weasley, was determined to have her only daughter married and settled as soon as possible. Ginny had grown sick of all the hinting at Sunday family dinners that she "had been single too long" and "should find a nice boy to settle down with".

Her mother's thinking was that Ginny would be much happier if she wasn't living on her own, and Mrs. Weasley only wanted the best and happiest life for her daughter.

This was the one and only point on which Ginny and her mother agreed. She knew she would be a lot happier if she wasn't such a recluse, but past experiences in love kept her wary.

"Yes, I would love to meet my neighbor." Ginny said after a long deliberation. She actually couldn't care less about meeting this mystery man, but Ginny couldn't bear to disappoint the woman who had been so kind to her. And besides, meeting a handsome man couldn't hurt…

After saying her goodbyes, Mrs. Lather's stepped out of Ginny's flat. _This is going to be interesting, _Mrs. Lathers thought as she walked down the street, humming softly to herself.

Please review!


	3. Chapter 3: Reunion?

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TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS

Chapter 3: Reunion?

Draco sighed, putting his head in his hands. It had been an exhausting week. Between filing all his reports at work, and furnishing his new flat, he had had no time to relax all week. At least now he had a completely decorated flat to come home to each night. _Thank goodness that's over. Interior design is killer._

Tonight Draco was going clubbing with Blaise and some girls. The girls were acquaintances that Blaise had made at work. Always the lady's man, Blaise was always moving from one girl to the next. _Sodding wanker, _Draco thought with a snort. _Always has a new girlfriend._

Glancing up at the clock on the wall in his office, Draco realized with a start that his shift had ended fifteen minutes before. Grabbing his cloak off the rack by the door, Draco headed home to get ready for a night on the town.

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Ginny peered at her reflection in the bathroom mirror one last time, adding the finishing touches to her makeup by adding another coat of gloss to her lips. Just then, a knock sounded at the door.

"I'm coming!" she called.

Putting the lip gloss back in her makeup bag, she went to go answer the door.

"Ready?" her best friend Luna Lovegood asked. Luna looked stunning in her dark blue sequin spaghetti strap dress with stiletto heels and a metallic clutch purse.

"Yep, let's go!" Ginny said excitedly as she grabbed her purse before heading out the door.

The two pals headed to Muse, a posh club on the outskirts of town.

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Draco sighed irritably as he watched Blaise flirt with another gorgeous girl by the bar. Draco had always been jealous of his friend's easy manners. Draco had a much harder time being pleasant to people he didn't know… or being pleasant at all, really. He was handsome, yes, but girls always seemed to go for Blaise's charm instead.

Draco looked around the club for what seemed like the thousandth time. He caught the eye of several wily looking females. _Just like vultures_, he thought as one eyed him hungrily.

Just as he was about to scowl at the staring girl, he noticed someone coming in the door.

_Bloody hell_, he thought, _who is that? _The most gorgeous girl he had ever seen was dressed to kill in a short black dress and heels. Her mid-length auburn hair fell in gentle waves about her face. Her striking brown eyes were filled with warmth and light as she laughed at something her blond friend had just said to her. There was something strangely familiar about her…

"What the…" Draco was revolted as he realized who he had been checking out. _It's that Weasley girl! _His eyes widened in realization. _That blonde she is with must be Loony Lovegood!_

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"Holy goffnars!" Luna exclaimed. "Who is that man coming towards us? He looks familiar, and he's a total hunk!"

Ginny looked to see who Luna was talking about and swore.

"Luna! It's Malfoy!" "That git! He's coming over to talk to us!"

Even as Ginny ranted, she couldn't help but admit that Luna was right in calling Malfoy handsome. He was in black slacks and a black long-sleeve button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his muscular forearms. As he sauntered over, everything about him just screamed 'Slytherin bad boy'.

Trying to ignore his toned chest as he stopped to stand in front of her, Ginny forced her gaze upward to look Draco Malfoy in the eye.

"Well, well, well, Weasley, long time no see. Someone seems to have grown up." Draco scanned his eyes slowly up and down her body with an inscrutable look on his face.

Fighting the blush that was trying to creep into her face at his intense gaze, Ginny coldly replied, "_So_ sorry, but I don't believe that I can say the same about you."

Twisting his face into an ugly sneer, Draco taunted, "Where did you get that dress Weasley? Did your crazy friend give it too you, or did you sell your house to pay for it?"

Bristling with anger, Ginny drew herself up to her full height.

"Speaking of paying, how much did you have to pay that girl to pretend to be your date tonight?" She asked with fake innocent curiosity, gesturing towards girl who had been staring at him earlier.

Draco was opening his mouth to retort when another voice interrupted him.

"Ginny? Ginny Weasley?" Blaise asked, his face beaming with a smile of delight.

"Zabini." Ginny greeted cordially.

"Wow, you sure have changed since school! So nice to see you again! And…and who is you friend?" Blaise had eyed Luna and was struck by her ethereal beauty.

"I am Luna Lovegood." Luna said dreamily. Draco tried to hold back a snicker at her airy tone of voice.

"Ah yes, I remember you. How nice to meet you, again." Blaise seemed to be slightly dazed, and turned back to Ginny as he tried to recover.

"Just like old times! Why, it's just like a school reunion! Yes, this is what this is, a reunion!"

"Er…yes…" Ginny said, not sure how to respond to his enthusiasm.

Draco was looking at his friend as if he had grown a third head.

"Reunion?" he questioned.

"Of course! Draco, really, don't be so dense." Blaise teased, not wanting Draco to ruin his good time by being…Draco.

Draco narrowed his eyes, but before he had time to reply, Blaise had already threw an arm around Luna and the other around Ginny and was striding towards the other side of the club.

With a huff, Draco started to follow after his friend, wondering what on earth his friend had gotten him into.

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This fic takes place as if the events of Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows has not happened. (Post Order of the Phoenix, Pre HBP)


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